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Wal-Mart Supercenter to bring new jobs, more taxes to city
By BRADY DENNIS © St. Petersburg Times, published January 13, 2001 ZEPHYRHILLS -- A proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter in Zephyrhills will employ at least 142 people, spend $5-million on land and construction and could generate up to $32,000 annually in property tax revenue, city government documents show. City officials submitted an application in December for $600,000 in state grants to help fund street improvements, water and sewer facilities and an access road at the proposed site just north of the current store off U.S. 301. The application outlines the scope of the project, which is expected to be completed in 2002. Among the figures, the company plans to employ at least 61 people in addition to the 81 people employed at the existing location in town. Thirty-one of those will be low to moderate income people, the application stated. The planned 204,1676-square-foot building -- almost twice the size of the current Wal-Mart -- will cost an estimated $4-million to construct. That's on top of an estimated $1-million for the 34.5 acres currently under contract. The company expects to close on the land in several months. But perhaps the biggest benefit the new store will bring to Zephyrhills is a steady flow of tax dollars. "I think it's a big key to some of our economic development goals," said city manager Steve Spina. "Yes, I'm ready to get it here. I think there is a lot of support for it. The store will probably generate other stores there as well." Property tax revenue is computed using assessed value. That value, figured by the county, is generally less than actual market value. The current property tax rate in Zephyrhills is 6.42 mills. Assuming the supercenter is valued at $5-million, that would generate $32,100 a year in tax revenues. Still, the supercenter's arrival hasn't been all smooth sailing. Although the City Council rezoned the land and cleared the way for the center months ago, Wal-Mart continues to struggle with the state Department of Transportation about where to add a stoplight along U.S. 301. DOT officials want to put the light at Kossik Road. Wal-Mart officials want the light about 900 feet south of Kossik Road, at the planned entrance to the store. "I think Wal-Mart feels it can justify the light there because of all the traffic the store will generate," Spina said. "Everybody is trying to decide which has more pros and cons." Meanwhile, the city already has begun construction on the extension of Greenslope Drive, a north-south access road just west of U.S. 301 that was designed to handle the increase in traffic that the Wal-Mart Supercenter and other retail outlets are expected to bring. - Brady Dennis covers the city of Zephyrhills and police in east Pasco. His phone number is (352) 521-5757, ext. 23. His e-mail address is dennis@sptimes.com.
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